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I don't own any pro team gear, I never got why anybody would wear it. I guess it is like people who wear a specific soccer or NBA jersey in support of their team, which I don't own either. I do have a bit of a laugh when I see people in a full on BMC kit riding a Trek or whatever, but then again, at least they're getting out there and riding

I would, presuming it were functionally compatible. Or maybe a Campy crank on a Shimano bike.

daj wrote:Wearing a pro kit is bad, wearing a pro kit 2-4 years old is worse, but riding a vintage pro kit on an appropriate bike (some exceptions here and there) is usually pretty cool.

So as the age increases, wearing pro starts from being bad, and it gets worse, but if old enough ("vintage") it eventually gets pretty cool. So is this badness a unimodal function of age (starts bad, gets worse until reaching the maximum badness, then gets better and eventually cool)? Is this a continuous function of time over its whole domain, or is there a step function in which it keeps getting worse until X years old, then at X years plus one day all of a sudden it is considered to be vintage and discontinuously jumps to pretty cool? Perhaps X is not determined in years per se, but as the boundary in time marking a particular era?

record wrote:Yes, wearing any pro team kits if you are not riding for that team makes you fred.

rustychain kind of hinted at this, but what is the definition of kit? What if you are only wearing a single article of pro team clothing? I sometimes wear an old Pro Tour (or equivalent before there was a Pro Tour) jersey which I obtained at deep discount in a markdown bin a couple of years after the team folded. Does that make me a Fred?

I could argue that you're a Fred for using the term kit. Back in the day, no one called that stuff kit. There was a jersey, shorts (or maybe skinsuit instead of separate jersey and shorts), and maybe gloves.

HammerTime2 wrote:Wearing a pro kit is bad, wearing a pro kit 2-4 years old is worse, but riding a vintage pro kit on an appropriate bike (some exceptions here and there) is usually pretty cool.So as the age increases, wearing pro starts from being bad, and it gets worse, but if old enough ("vintage") it eventually gets pretty cool. So is this badness a unimodal function of age (starts bad, gets worse until reaching the maximum badness, then gets better and eventually cool)? Is this a continuous function of time over its whole domain, or is there a step function in which it keeps getting worse until X years old, then at X years plus one day all of a sudden it is considered to be vintage and discontinuously jumps to pretty cool? Perhaps X is not determined in years per se, but as the boundary in time marking a particular era?

record wrote:Yes, wearing any pro team kits if you are not riding for that team makes you fred.

rustychain kind of hinted at this, but what is the definition of kit? What if you are only wearing a single article of pro team clothing? I sometimes wear an old Pro Tour (or equivalent before there was a Pro Tour) jersey which I obtained at deep discount in a markdown bin a couple of years after the team folded. Does that make me a Fred?

I could argue that you're a Fred for using the term kit. Back in the day, no one called that stuff kit. There was a jersey, shorts (or maybe skinsuit instead of separate jersey and shorts), and maybe gloves.

No it does not make you a fred.

What does make one a fred is the (function of ignorance) * (age) / the inner child if I may put in in mathematical terms.

I never took drugs to improve my performance at any time. I will be willing to stick my finger into a polygraph test if anyone with big media pull wants to take issue. If you buy a signed poster now it will not be tarnished later. --Graeme Obree

One word of advice at least in the US don't ride around with a Fagor team kit like this

or a frame called Faggin like this

I never took drugs to improve my performance at any time. I will be willing to stick my finger into a polygraph test if anyone with big media pull wants to take issue. If you buy a signed poster now it will not be tarnished later. --Graeme Obree

If you live in Italy, are you allowed* to buy Liquigas, or would that make you a Fred?* Of course, getting people to buy the product or service offered by the sponsor is kind of the idea of the sponsorship, is it not?

It should be common knowledge to all that it is simply against the rules, forbidden, totally Fred, etc. to wear pro team kit of an active team. If the team is defunct the ridicule may be reduced by 50% but it is still bad form.

Wearing the team kit of an obscure, low level, local team can be considered cool but should be done outside of jurisdiction in which that team competes or trains.

Occasionally a favourite team jersey may be worn with plain black shorts, however any attempt to add matching shorts or other matching accessories such as gloves or socks is a quick trip back to Fredsville.

As for doing something like riding a Trek and wear Specialized clothing - don't even think about it.

Of course clothes, bikes and accessories need to be matched. And the colour tone needs to match your skin tone, or at least your embrocation. Clashing helmets and shoes is for MTBers only.

I'm deeply troubled by the yellow logo on my black Mavic shoes as it spoils my otherwise perfect red / black / white look. Does anyone have a solution other than getting some Giro Factors, and keeping the Mavics to match my Brazil kit?

Another thing - wearing pro kit is only OK if you have a full year-matched kit, socks, gloves, helmet and bike. No good having a 1990 Rabobank jersey with 1995 shorts and 2000 gloves. And another thing, 'upgrading' a period pro bike to non period correct parts, especially carbon fibre is just wrong too.

Dont be a pop child and do want everybody else says is okay. Wear skater clothes on you bike if you want to. Whatever you choose, dont do it 50%. Do it full hearted or dont do it at all.The best example is the pink bike that somebody posted here. It was done right and full hearted. It showed confidence.